Supply to garden office

[Paulg31]

Hello,

I'm in the process of planning a small garden office build. I'll build the office but pay an electrician to install the electrics. However I just want to understand the potential extent of electrical works required.

I currently have a BG dual rcd board (I know BG isn't great but it as installed before I moved in). The board has spare MCBs. I understand it is better than have have the rcd protection for an outbuilding in the outbuilding rather than at the point of supply and that the supply cable doesn't need to be rcd protected? (I think it'll be a buried SWA cable size TBC by electrician). If so it is possible feed an outgoing supply non rcd protected from a dual rcd board? Or would a separate board be required for the garden office feed?

Thanks in advance!
Paul

 

[ericmark]

The so called high integrity board will allow use of either RCBO's or no RCD protection on some slots, but all depends on the CU.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Your better bet is for your electrician to fit Henley blocks between meter and CU, fit a freestanding MCB to protect the cable then have the office RCD etc in the office. Saves having to run back to the house when the lights go off....

 

[AndyPRK]

It’s unlikely a BG has an non rcd way

 

[Luckyphil]

I’ve seen BG boards adapted where you can have a Non RCD MCB next to the Main Switch , then you get the RCD / MCB’s / RCD / MCB’s etc etc , if you’ve got a spare way , your Electrician may be able to move things over one position so to speak ?
Phil

 

[RF Lighting]

I think the larger BG boards such as 6+6 splits come with a third neutral bar, so it may be possible.

I’d rather come from an existing board over installing Henley’s etc for a supply of this nature.

 

[SUNRAY]

We're replacng 2 CU's in flats tomorrow and purchased 3+3 boards for each. They contain 3 N bars: for non 3W RCD, 4W for RCD1 & 6W for RCD2.
These have a total of 13W for a 6W board but the image on TLC website shows different sizes combinations the N wiring to RCDs is now looped directly from main switch and not from non RCD bar.

Can just be seen here:

 

[SUNRAY]

We're replacng 2 CU's in flats tomorrow and purchased 3+3 boards for each. They contain 3 N bars: for non 3W RCD, 4W for RCD1 & 6W for RCD2.
These have a total of 13W for a 6W board but the image on TLC website shows different sizes combinations the N wiring to RCDs is now looped directly from main switch and not from non RCD bar.

So 2 identical boards fitted except one had neutral bars as above and the other had 5W, 6W & 3W left to right

 

[winston1]

Saves having to run back to the house when the lights go off....

Which happens so rarely it is not really a problem.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Which happens so rarely it is not really a problem.

A bit like the rare occurrence of problems with a loft socket powered from a lighting circuit perhaps?

 

[winston1]

A bit like the rare occurrence of problems with a loft socket powered from a lighting circuit perhaps?

Except that a foot or body through the ceiling is a lot more serious than a walk back to the house.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Except that a foot or body through the ceiling is a lot more serious than a walk back to the house.

Not if the house RCD has tripped and that means the garden lights don’t work. In the darkness you fall in the hole that you dug for the new monkey puzzle tree.

 

[SUNRAY]

Not if the house RCD has tripped and that means the garden lights don’t work. In the darkness you fall in the hole that you dug for the new monkey puzzle tree.

Are you sure the dug hole isn't 6ft x 3ft & 6ft deep?

 

[SUNRAY]

Except that a foot or body through the ceiling is a lot more serious than a walk back to the house.

I wonder how many other people on this forum have been silly enough to put their foot through the ceiling, or even know someone else who has done it?

I certainly haven't/don't

 

[bernardgreen]

Except that a foot or body through the ceiling is a lot more serious than a walk back to the house.

Once again the whinnying foal puts his hoof in it.